The Charlotte-Shelburne-Hinesburg Rotary Club gathered for its weekly meeting with a solid turnout and plenty of good news to share. The morning opened with a familiar rhythm: the Four-Way Test, acknowledgment of visitors, and recognition of recent accomplishments.

The club received special recognition for its Toys for Kids efforts—a certificate and the "Twinkles the Grinning Moose Award" now graces our collection. Thank you cards also arrived from Age Well and from a Rotary district in Texas acknowledging our flood relief contribution.

 

Carol presented two Paul Harris Awards: Jessica Brumstead received a Paul Harris +3, and Joan Lenis received her initial Paul Harris recognition. A reminder that contributions to the Rotary Foundation can be made throughout the year - no need to wait until year's end.

 

Jim received well-deserved thanks for hosting the holiday party, complete with his impressive Christmas tree that required scaffolding to decorate.

Sponsorships remain the focus for our March 14 fundraiser. Amanda and Jessica reminded members that sponsorship letters have been distributed along with last year's sponsor lists. When approaching potential sponsors, lead with the full sponsorship opportunity before mentioning the silent auction option - people tend to take the easiest path offered.

 

New promotional materials are available: large posters for confirmed sponsors to display, smaller flyers for community bulletin boards, and window clings are arriving soon. Members are also encouraged to bake pies - with ingredient costs rising, every homemade pie increases our fundraising margin. The committee is exploring partnerships with local pizza shops, including the new Pizza 44. 

 

To avoid duplication, members should notify Amanda or Jessica when they secure a sponsor so the master list can be updated.

Amanda introduced a new project idea: installing a peace pole in our community. These monuments display "May Peace Prevail on Earth" in the native language plus several others meaningful to the location. Many Rotary clubs dedicate them on International Peace Day in September. The board will explore costs and potential locations.

The Shelburne Winter Carnival is set for January 31, 1:00–3:00 PM. Several members have volunteered to staff a table where kids can make Valentines for donation - a chance to engage families and promote Pies for Breakfast. The Speech Contest will be held February 18 as part of our regular meeting. Members with connections to high school students are encouraged to spread the word.

The fish net made its rounds with plenty of good news. One member reported all sugaring lines are run and ready for tapping season. Another is heading out to meet a new granddaughter. A longtime member shared his joy watching two granddaughters play basketball at CCS - seventh and fifth grade, both with wonderful games.

One member celebrated transitioning to a less stressful role at work. Greg highlighted the stellar senior-friendly music program at Shelburne Vineyard and is working to bring a speaker from there. Dan reminded everyone to thank our membership committee for their consistent work to strengthen the club. Richard Fox reminded patrons of the arts that Shelburne Community School's production of "Hans Christian Andersen Junior" runs February 6–7 at CVU.

 

Catherine is still taking Girl Scout Cookie orders - deadline approaching. She also proudly shared that her daughter competed at a gymnastics meet in Massachusetts, earning her highest beam score ever and the highest in her level across 160 competitors. One member returned from an annual sibling gathering in Florida and completed another rotation around the sun. Several celebrated the taste of fake spring over the weekend, knowing full well what's coming.

 

A moment of reflection was offered for Bob, a beloved community member who passed over the weekend, and celebration for Annette's milestone birthday.

Joan introduced our guests from the Boys & Girls Club of Burlington: Subha Luck, Director of Development, and Pam Unsworth, Development Manager. Founded in 1942 as the Boys Club, the organization now serves over 250 kids daily across three locations, including its longtime home at 62 Oak Street in Burlington's Old North End.

The club provides after-school programs for students through eighth grade, daily teen nights for high schoolers, and an eight-week summer camp serving about 100 children. Summer camp is not first-come-first-served but need-based, ensuring the kids who need it most have access. Programming includes breakfast, lunch, and snacks during summer, and snack and dinner during the school year - over 25,000 meals served annually.

 

Subha highlighted the Early Promise program, a unique educational initiative supporting club members from kindergarten through higher education. Twelve years ago, no club members were continuing education after high school. Today, 65 members have participated, 31 have graduated from college or training programs, and 37 are currently enrolled. A recent graduate completed a neuroscience degree at Middlebury College and now works at UVM as a medical assistant.

The club has invested in facility renovations—new paint, flooring, and furniture—creating a space kids can be proud of. Staff receive professional development in "emotion coaching" to help children develop skills for managing challenging situations.

 

Pam shared the story of Brandon, a kindergartener whose family faced homelessness and whose father sometimes asked for money outside the school. Rather than removing him from the program when behavioral issues arose, staff developed a "cool down walk" strategy. Over three years, Brandon mastered self-regulation and became one of the most helpful kids in the program. Now in fifth grade, he loves baseball and wrestling and dreams of becoming both a WWE champion and pro baseball player.

When asked about coordinating with schools, Pam noted they maintain close communication, particularly for the youngest children where early intervention makes the biggest difference. On technology, the club encourages kids to leave phones in secure charging stations and runs programming on safe technology use.

Scholarships of $2,000 per year are available to members pursuing higher education, with additional support considered case by case. Tours of the club run twice monthly on Tuesdays from 1:00–2:00 PM for anyone interested in seeing the work firsthand.

 

In appreciation, the club will donate copies of "Life Lessons for Kids" to a local library in their names.

A board meeting follows tomorrow at Shelburne Town Hall. The CSH Rotary Club meets again next week. Members are encouraged to continue outreach for Pies for Breakfast sponsorships and mark their calendars for the Winter Carnival on January 31.